Bridging the Digital Divide

Identify two ways in which your profession can help bridge the digital divide.

According to Molina (2003), the concept of the ‘digital divide’ can be understood as the gap in access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), in particular the Internet. In its simplest manifestation, the digital divide is concerned with access to communications infrastructures that are perceived as fundamental to participate in the emerging knowledge economy that is central to the information society (Molina, 2003). The following graph demonstrates the disparity in telecommunications access between advanced OECD nations and those outside the OECD:

The above figures clearly illustrate that large numbers of people simply do not have access to the technologies that are driving the development of the global economy today (Molina, 2003). The digital divide does not only exist on a global scale between developed and developing nations, however; there are various reports that detail the digital divide that exists in different countries within particular population segments. Minority groups, low-income groups, the less educated, and children of single-parent households are among those who are likely to lack access to information and communication technologies (Molina, 2003).

Access to the communication infrastructures of the information society is essential to the social, economic and educational development of individuals, groups and nations (The Digital Divide in East Asia, 2001). As a result of the disparity between rich and poor nations in accessing information and communication technologies, there exists a huge challenge for organisations from all sectors in bridging the digital divide. On this note, the key role of public relations practitioners within both public and private sectors is to stimulate awareness of the issues of the digital divide and show support for various initiatives that are currently emerging. The following interrelated courses of action should be pursued in bridging the gap:

1. Organisations from the public, private and non-profit sectors should provide support for emerging initiatives to ameliorate the digital divide (Molina 2003). This includes providing funding to movements that address the issue at the grassroots level. An example of this is US company RidgeviewTel, which supports the Longmont City Digital Divide program in providing free Internet access for residents of low-income areas who have children in Longmont schools (Wegrzyn 2010). From a public relations perspective, initiatives such as this are important as they help to reinforce an organisation’s image and show its commitment to the development of the community. On a broader scale, supporting grassroots initiatives to bridge the digital divide demonstrate that an organisation is committed to inspiring global action to resolve the issue.

2. Public relations practitioners must stimulate awareness within organisations on the issues of the digital divide and the way in which it is related to the reduction of poverty (The Digital Divide in East Asia, 2001). As highlighted by the UN goal to reduce poverty by half by 2015, closing the gap between the rich and poor is an issue that should be high on the agenda of organisations from all sectors (Molina 2003). Means of participation and stimulating awareness of these issues include:

• Encouraging the formulation and implementation of action plans for inclusive digital economies on local, regional and national scales.
• Sponsoring outreach programs that aim to implement long-term solutions by increasing the availability of information and communication technologies in communities.
• Supporting government policies to open markets to developing countries and lower barriers to trade in telecommunications products.
• Foreign direct investment in developing countries to which will encourage social, economic and educational development.

By participating in such measures, organisations are able to demonstrate their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility as well as contribute to the overarching cause of bridging the digital divide through poverty alleviation.

The central notion of the digital divide is the disparity that exists in access to information and communication technology. This gap is linked to growth and development, due to the relationship between access to information and knowledge creation (The Digital Divide in East Asia, 2001). In today’s society, knowledge and information and communication technologies are the key drivers of economic growth. It is therefore imperative that organisations from the private, public and non-profit sectors take action to bridge the growing gap in access to communication technologies and stimulate awareness of the digital divide and its relationship to poverty reduction.

References:

(2001). The Digital Divide in East Asia. Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, 15(2), 18-30. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Molina, A. (2003). The Digital Divide: The Need for a Global e-Inclusion Movement. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 15(1), 137-152. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Wegrzyn, M. (2010, May 24). Crossing the digital divide. Retrieved November 30, 2010 from TimesCall.com: http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=22160

PR and Rich Media

How are rich media being used in your profession and what are the implications for the way you will work as a professional in the years to come?

Rich media is the term broadly used to describe a variety of interactive digital media. In theoretical terms, Daft and Lengel (1986) proposed the concept of media richness in which richness refers to the ability of media to improve human understanding by reducing equivocality, or ambiguity. Basically, richer forms of communication such as video-conferencing are more effective than less rich forms of communication such as phone calls, as they are able to convey gestures and other elements of human communication that reduce equivocality.

So how is media richness relevant to public relations practitioners? Rich media is highly important to the field of public relations because it serves to enhance an organisation’s level of interaction with its publics and facilitates a 2-way symmetrical model of communication (Johnston & Zawawi, 2009). To refer back to the media richness theory, rich media does this by reducing message ambiguity and facilitating honest and transparent communication between an organisation and its stakeholders. More than ever before, public relations practitioners are employing rich media tools to engage with publics and communicate an organisation’s key messages in different ways.

One of the most important emerging tools in public relations and corporate communications is rich media webcasting. Rich media webcasting incorporates audio, video and graphical content to create a live or on-demand Web presentation and is ideal for sharing product overviews, executive briefings and leadership seminars via the Internet without the high cost of traditional video productions (Douglas, 2009). All that is required is a laptop, a video camera to capture video and audio content and a rich media recorder so a live webcast can be conducted anywhere, anytime. Think of it is as a tool to stream important information to stakeholders that personalises an organisation’s communication efforts.

In the midst of an evolving communications landscape, it is important that public relations practitioners can look beyond traditional means of communication and find ways for organisations to stand out in competitive markets. An example of a company that has achieved this through the use of rich media is Delphi Steering Systems, which used rich media to promote itself as a thought leader and introduce new methodologies that it was bringing to the market (Douglas, 2009). It produced an hour-long webcast to communicate its value proposition to its publics through the use of visuals and graphs, which would not have been possible through the use of audio alone. In this case, visual imagery conveyed through rich media webcasting allowed the company to engage audiences and deliver its key messages in a new and interesting way.

The adoption of interactive digital media has been progressively changing the corporate communications landscape over the past several years. Historically, the media and entertainment industry has led the demand for the development of rich media content. Now, as the use of rich media has increased dramatically, so has the need for organisations across all sectors to manage and deliver rich media communications to its stakeholders (Krishna, 2007). By utilising tools such as rich media webcasts, public relations practitioners have the ability to communicate with audiences in a way that is transparent, engaging and unambiguous. This in turn has the effect of enhancing the organisation’s brand image and reinforcing positive relationships with stakeholders. Moreover, rich media has proved to be a valuable development for the public relations industry and will undoubtedly continue to assist organisations in maintaining the all-important 2-way symmetrical model of communication with its publics.

References

Daft, R., & Lengel, R. (1986). Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design. Management Science, 32(5), 554-571. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Douglas, T. (2009). Get rich quick: How you can use rich media webcasting. Public Relations Tactics, 16(11), 22. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Johnston, J. & Zawawi, C. (2009) Public Relations: Theory and Practice, 3^rd ed., Allen and Unwin, Sydney.

Krishna, M. (2007). Realizing the promise of enterprise video communications. Journal of Digital Asset Management, 3(4), 197-208. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

PR, Collective Intelligence and Web 2.0

How is collective intelligence used in your profession?

The ideology of collective intelligence provides a unique way in which to view how technological tools and applications can support human interaction, collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Under the paradigm of collective intelligence, the focus is on harnessing the intelligence of individuals to enable greater productivity and better decision-making than would be possible by individuals working in isolation (Gregg 2010). Whilst this may seem to be a broad concept, it is highly pertinent to the field of public relations when applied to the Web 2.0 phenomenon and the advent of social media.

Collective intelligence can be broadly defined as the shared knowledge that emerges when many individuals come together in collaboration. According to Gregg (2010), a collective intelligence application is one that channels the shared knowledge and experience of its users so as to improve its usefulness and to facilitate collaboration and increased competition amongst individuals. A primary example of this is the notion of Web 2.0, which is a term used to describe web applications that facilitate interactive sharing of information, user-centered design, interoperability and collaboration. Key examples of Web 2.0 applications include wikis, blogs and online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. In light of the proliferation of Web 2.0 applications, the concept of collective intelligence has gained momentum as an increasing number of tools have become available that facilitate online collaboration.

Web 2.0 and the manifestation of collective intelligence applications have been central to the leveraging of online public relations practice in recent years. The advent of Web 2.0 in the early 2000’s marked a significant shift in the way in which individuals interacted via the Internet, which led to vast changes in the field of public relations. The online landscape has evolved such that it is no longer enough for public relations practitioners to be aware of consumer activity on the Internet – they have had to become involved in it. As individuals have become increasingly involved in Web 2.0 and collective intelligence applications, organisations are under increasing pressure to find new ways of disseminating information and engaging with their publics.

As public relations practitioners, we now have to offer more than just a thinly disguised press release or sales pitch to the online community, and look beyond the blog as the only opportunity to reach consumers via the Internet (Marken 2007). Whilst the growth of Web 2.0 collective intelligence applications poses significant challenges to the field of public relations, it also provides a plethora of opportunities as it lets organisations communicate with their public in new and unique ways:

• ‘Webinars’ by staff describing how to use and how to get the most out of products or services. A ‘webinar’ that features industry experts adds credibility and enhances the image of the organisation.
• Sites like Youtube to share information with publics such as news, product coverage and reviews.
• Search engines such as Google and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Understanding these tools is important for organisations in increasingly visibility new information, news and content (Marken 2007).
• Social media monitoring tools such as Social Mention. These are essential for tracking an organisation’s relationship with its publics.

To conclude, a pivotal aspect of public relations practice is developing a transparent, 2-way symmetrical model of communication with an organisation's publics and understanding the many elements that go into building a marketplace’s trust (Marken 2007). Web 2.0 and collective intelligence applications have facilitated this function, and have subsequently become an integral part of public relations practice. In examining the notion of collective intelligence and its functions via the Internet, it is clear that public relations is a highly malleable field of communication that will continue to evolve in the future with advances in technology and social media.

References

(2010). Designing for collective intelligence. Communications of the ACM, 53(4), 134-138. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Marken, G. (2007). Will Public Relations be a Profession by 2010?. Public Relations Quarterly, 52(4), 34-37. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

PR and Convergence

Consider the concept of "convergence" and think ten years in the future. How will your profession be different and what role will convergence play, if any, in your work?

New technologies are highly pertinent to the field of public relations. Laptops, mobile phones, the Internet and social media have all had a permanent impact on the way in which information is disseminated to the public, and have become the standard tools of PR. It is the convergence of these communication technologies that has transformed the landscape of PR, and will certainly continue to shape its role in the future.

Technology has always been an integral part of PR practice. Originally typed on paper and sent via fax or mail, media releases are now generated on computer and distributed by email. Video news releases are produced digitally and delivered by the Internet or satellite, and public opinion is monitored via the web (Pavlik, 2007). Because of this reliance on the media, PR practitioners have had to constantly adapt to the changing media realm as technologies have continued to evolve. Twitter, Facebook and the ‘blogosphere’ among other forms of social media have created a new realm of public opinion, and represent the move away from traditional media to the direct and unmediated channels of the Internet.

Web 2.0 has altered the traditional notions of PR by breaking down the asymmetrical model of communication in which organisations control the dissemination of messages to their publics (Pavlik, 2007). It is breaking down this barrier by empowering audiences to communicate directly online via social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and particularly blogging. Communication channels between organisations and their publics have become increasingly symmetrical, creating the need for PR to evolve and explore new ways of interacting to build positive relationships with stakeholders (Berger, 2003). Web 2.0 has far from disadvantaged the PR profession, however, as it provides an invaluable means of gauging public opinion and interacting with key publics in a capacity that is not impossible through traditional media outlets (Pavlik, 2007). The growth of the Internet has been hugely advantageous to the PR field, as it as facilitated cost effective two-way communication between an organisation and its publics.

Technological convergence will continue to play a vital role in PR practice in the future. For example, the current societal shift from mass consumption of media (‘push’ media) to personalised consumption of media (‘pull’ media) will have a continuing affect on the media release, the primary tool of PR (Berger, 2003). Over the next decade the field will move away from the traditional format to an interactive media release, encompassing a variety of content such as text, video, SMS, podcast, website links and other elements. Furthermore, social media platforms will continue to evolve within the PR industry as higher value is placed on monitoring and measuring returns. Industry-specific social networks will also develop so as to provide easier communication for journalists, PR practitioners and media contacts. The future will also see increased growth in listening platforms via social media and less for reporting, thus facilitating a more fluid 2-way interaction between an organisation and its stakeholders.

Suffice it to say, technological convergence is an integral part of public relations. At this point in time, technology, the Internet and social media are all vitally important to an organisation's interaction with its publics, with the failure to adequately manage these tools often leading to disastrous consequences. Just ask Domino’s – the company witnessed first-hand the destruction caused by a YouTube video gone viral (See it here). Such incidents highlight the importance for PR practitioners in leveraging communication technologies to engage with an organisation’s stakeholders via Twitter, Facebook and other online social networks (Berger, 2003). Despite its challenges, technological convergence provides an invaluable platform for effective public relations and will continue to drastically influence the field in the future.

References

Berger, B. (2003). Public relation(ship)s or private controls? Practitioner perspectives on the uses and benefits of new technologies. Atlantic Journal of Communication , 11 (1), 76-99.

Pavlik, J. V. (2007). Mapping the Consequences of Technology on Public Relations. New Jersey: Institute for Public Relations.